Data correlation and analysis tool

Abstract

A system for capturing a video image of the scene and for correlating data relative to the scene is disclosed. The system comprises a collection device which uses as inputs environmental stimuli and video and audio stimuli which correlates the various data such that statistical analysis can be performed.

We claim: 
     
       1. A method of determining why an audience generates a response to a stimulus, the method comprising the steps of: recording the response from the audience to the stimulus;   performing a statistical analysis of the response to determine notable reactions;   replaying the notable reactions to the audience;   querying the audience as to why the notable reaction was received; and   recording a second response to why the notable reaction was received.   
     
     
       2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the steps are performed within a short time, the short time being before the audience leaves after viewing the stimulus. 
     
     
       3. A method of allowing a user to interactively search an audiences response to one or more stimuli comprising the steps of: providing a stimulus to the audience;   recording one or more responses to the stimulus in real-time;   correlating by time the one or more responses to the one or more stimuli to generate an associative mapping of the one or more responses and the stimuli;   storing the associative mapping such that the associative mapping is accessible by content of the one or more responses and the one or more stimuli;   prompting the user for search criteria representative of content of the one or more responses; and   displaying to the user the one or more responses and the one or more stimuli meeting the search criteria.   
     
     
       4. A method according to claim 3 wherein the step of correlating the response to the one or more stimuli further comprises the step of generating an analyzed variable, the analyzed variable including the one or more responses and the one or more stimuli at a given time. 
     
     
       5. A method according to claim 3 wherein the analyzed variable is generated from the one or more responses to the one or more stimuli. 
     
     
       6. A method according to claim 3 wherein the stimulus is stored in the associative mapping as a plurality of data signals over time correlated to the one or more responses at a given time. 
     
     
       7. A method according to claim 3 wherein the search criteria include a time-duration of the one or more stimuli surrounding the response. 
     
     
       8. A system for storing a response to a stimulus and displaying the response to a user in real-time, the system comprising: at least one input device adapted to receive a response to the stimulus over time and generate an input signal representative of the response;   a processor in electrical communication with the at least one input device and adapted to receive the input signal and associate the input signal with at least a portion of the stimulus over time thus creating an associative mapping representative of the response of the at least one input device to the portions of the stimulus at a given time; and   a display device in electrical communication with the processor adapted to receive the associative mapping and selectively display the response and the portions of the stimulus as represented in the associative mapping to a user.   
     
     
       9. A system according to claim 8 further comprising a recording medium adapted to store the stimulus. 
     
     
       10. A system according to claim 8 further comprising the step of comparing the stimulus to an archive of prior responses to a prior stimuli stored on a storage device. 
     
     
       11. A system according to claim 8 wherein the display device displays portions indexed by the associative mapping to a user. 
     
     
       12. A system according to claim 8 wherein the display device is a graphical user interface to interactively retrieve a portion of the associative mapping associated with user-entered criteria. 
     
     
       13. A system according to claim 8 wherein the one or more input devices is a sensor that measures process variables. 
     
     
       14. A system according to claim 13 wherein the stimulus signal is at least one data type, and the one or more input signals include process variables, such that the associative mapping includes new variables each having at least one process variable associated with at least one data type of the stimulus signal at a given time. 
     
     
       15. A system according to claim 8 wherein the display device is a graphical user interface adapted to allow a user to select criteria for displaying portions of the response and the stimulus, the system further comprising an analyzer adapted to receive the criteria and statistically analyze the stimulus and the response thus allowing the graphical user interface to display the portions of the stimulus and the response matching the criteria. 
     
     
       16. A system according to claim 15 wherein the criteria is the quantitative value of a statistical function of the response. 
     
     
       17. A system according to claim 8 further comprising an analyzer in communication with the processor adapted to parse the associative mapping and receive a user criteria representative of portions of the response to be displayed on the display device and transmit to the display device the portions of the response and stimulus corresponding to the user criteria entered. 
     
     
       18. A quality control system for determining the quality of a product comprising: at least one monitoring device adapted to record a test image of the product;   a storage device upon which a quality image of the product is stored, the quality image is of an acceptable product; and   an analyzer in communication with the monitoring device adapted to receive the test image, and in communication with the storage device adapted to receive the quality image and to compare the test image against the quality image for differences and thus determine if the quality of the product is acceptable.   
     
     
       19. A system according to claim 18 wherein the monitoring device records a sonar image. 
     
     
       20. A system according to claim 18 wherein the monitoring device is an x-ray device. 
     
     
       21. A system according to claim 18 wherein the quality image includes a parameter signature, the system further comprising at least one sensor device in communication with the analyzer adapted to evaluate the product and record a signature of the product such that the analyzer compares the signature against the parameter signature to determine quality. 
     
     
       22. A system according to claim 18 wherein the quality image includes a parameter list and the analyzer compares the test image against the parameter list to determine quality. 
     
     
       23. A system according to claim 22 wherein the parameter list is a list of acceptable temperatures for welds. 
     
     
       24. A system for determining a response to a stimulus, the system comprising: one or more input devices, each adapted to independently translate a response to the stimulus into an input signal which quantifies the stimulus;   a stimulus signal representative of the stimulus; and   a processor in electrical communication with the one or more input devices such that the processor correlates by time the input signal of each of the one or more input devices to the stimulus signal to form an associative mapping representative of the input signal of each of the one or more input devices to the stimulus at a given time,   at least one of the one or more input devices being a sensor that measures an environmental condition.   
     
     
       25. A system according to claim 24 wherein the sensor measures a process variable. 
     
     
       26. A system for determining a response to a stimulus, the system comprising: one or more input devices, each adapted to independently translate a response to the stimulus into an input signal which quantifies the stimulus;   a stimulus signal representative of the stimulus;   a processor in electrical communication with the one or more input devices such that the processor correlates by time the input signal of each of the one or more input devices to the stimulus signal to form an associative mapping representative of the input signal of each of the one or more input devices to the stimulus at a given time,   the one or more input devices comprising at least a first group having first variables, and a second group having second variables, at least one variable being different between the first group and the second group, the first group being disposed at a first angle to the stimulus that differs from a second angle of the second group to the stimulus.   
     
     
       27. A system for determining a response to a stimulus, the system comprising: one or more input devices, each adapted to independently translate a response to the stimulus into an input signal which quantifies the stimulus;   a stimulus signal representative of the stimulus;   a processor in electrical communication with the one or more input devices such that the processor correlates by time the input signal of each of the one or more input devices to the stimulus signal to form an associative mapping representative of the input signal of each of the one or more input devices to the stimulus at a given time,   the stimulus comprising a time-delayed presentation.   
     
     
       28. A system for determining a response to a stimulus, the system comprising: one or more input devices, each adapted to independently translate a response to the stimulus into an input signal which quantifies the stimulus;   a stimulus signal representative of the stimulus;   a processor in electrical communication with the one or more input devices such that the processor correlates by time the input signal of each of the one or more input devices to the stimulus signal to form an associative mapping representative of the input signal of each of the one or more input devices to the stimulus at a given time; and   at least one monitoring device adapted to receive the stimulus and generate the stimulus signal, the at least one monitoring device detecting light outside the visible spectrum.   
     
     
       29. A system for determining a response to a stimulus, the system comprising: one or more input devices, each adapted to independently translate a response to the stimulus into an input signal which quantifies the stimulus;   a stimulus signal representative of the stimulus;   a processor in electrical communication with the one or more input devices such that the processor correlates by time the input signal of each of the one or more input devices to the stimulus signal to form an associative mapping representative of the input signal of each of the one or more input devices to the stimulus at a given time,   the processor comprising a multi-channel associative cache that associates video, audio, and response variables with time.   
     
     
       30. A system for determining a response to a stimulus, the system comprising: one or more input devices, each adapted to independently translate a response to the stimulus into an input signal which quantifies the stimulus;   a stimulus signal representative of the stimulus;   a processor in electrical communication with the one or more input devices such that the processor correlates by time the input signal of each of the one or more input devices to the stimulus signal to form an associative mapping representative of the input signal of each of the one or more input devices to the stimulus at a given time,   the processor including a stored stimulus signal to compare against the stimulus signal and generating a difference signal representative of the differences between the stimulus signal and the stored signal.   
     
     
       31. A system according to claim 30 wherein the processor alarms if the difference signal exceeds a threshold value. 
     
     
       32. A system for determining a response to a stimulus, the system comprising: one or more input devices, each adapted to independently translate a response to the stimulus into an input signal which quantifies the stimulus;   a stimulus signal representative of the stimulus;   a processor in electrical communication with the one or more input devices such that the processor correlates by time the input signal of each of the one or more input devices to the stimulus signal to form an associative mapping representative of the input signal of each of the one or more input devices to the stimulus at a given time;   a monitoring device in electrical communication with the processor adapted to record the stimulus signal; and   a display in electrical communication with the processor, the display being adapted to display both the response and the stimulus correlated therewith as represented by the associative mapping.   
     
     
       33. The system according to claim 32 wherein the display displays the response and the stimulus substantially instantaneously after the creation of the associative mapping. 
     
     
       34. The system according to claim 32 further comprising a video recorder being adapted to record an image generated by the display substantially instantaneously after the creation thereof. 
     
     
       35. A system for determining a response to a stimulus, the system comprising: one or more input devices, each adapted to independently translate a response to the stimulus into an input signal which quantifies the stimulus;   a stimulus signal representative of the stimulus;   a processor in electrical communication with the one or more input devices such that the processor correlates by time the input signal of each of the one or more input devices to the stimulus signal to form an associative mapping representative of the input signal of each of the one or more input devices to the stimulus at a given time; and   a display in electrical communication with the processor, the display being adapted to display the associated mapping substantially instantaneously after the creation thereof.   
     
     
       36. A system for determining a response to a stimulus, the system comprising: one or more input devices, each adapted to independently translate a response to the stimulus into an input signal which quantifies the stimulus;   a stimulus signal representative of the stimulus;   a processor in electrical communication with the one or more input devices such that the processor correlates by time the input signal of each of the one or more input devices to the stimulus signal to form an associative mapping representative of the input signal of each of the one or more input devices to the stimulus at a given time; and   an analyzer in electrical communication with the processor, the analyzer adapted to perform statistical analysis on the input signals from each of the one or more input devices to find segments of the stimulus signal.   
     
     
       37. The system according to claim 36 wherein the analyzer determines a point of statistical interest as measured against predetermined criteria. 
     
     
       38. The system according to claim 36 wherein the analyzer interpolates information based upon the input signals from each of the one or more input devices. 
     
     
       39. The system according to claim 36 wherein the analyzer extrapolates information based upon the input signals from each of the one or more input devices. 
     
     
       40. A system for determining a response to a stimulus, the system comprising: one or more input devices, each adapted to independently translate a response to the stimulus into an input signal which quantifies the stimulus;   a stimulus signal representative of the stimulus;   a processor in electrical communication with the one or more input devices such that the processor correlates by time the input signal of each of the one or more input devices to the stimulus signal to form an associative mapping representative of the input signal of each of the one or more input devices to the stimulus at a given time; and   a computer in electrical communication with the processor such that the processor transmits the stimulus signal and the input signals in raw form to the computer.   
     
     
       41. A system for determining a response to a stimulus, the system comprising: one or more input devices, each adapted to independently translate a response to the stimulus into an input signal which quantifies the stimulus;   a stimulus signal representative of the stimulus;   a processor in electrical communication with the one or more input devices such that the processor correlates by time the input signal of each of the one or more input devices to the stimulus signal to form an associative mapping representative of the input signal of each of the one or more input devices to the stimulus at a given time; and   a computer in electrical communication with the processor such that the processor performs digital signal processing on the stimulus signal and the input signals to the computer.   
     
     
       42. The system according to claim 41 wherein the computer comprises a graphical user interface through which a user selects which statistical analysis is performed. 
     
     
       43. The system according to claim 41 wherein the computer comprises a graphical user interface adapted to display the associative mapping in real time. 
     
     
       44. The system according to claim 41 wherein the computer comprises a mass storage device upon which the associative mapping is stored, and a graphical user interface adapted to display the associative mapping which is recalled from the mass storage device. 
     
     
       45. The system according to claim 41 wherein the computer comprises a storage device upon which the associated mapping is stored, the storage device having an organized structure for storing the associative mapping such that the associative mapping can be accessed by content. 
     
     
       46. The system according to claim 41 wherein the computer comprises a storage device upon which the associative mapping is stored, the storage device is adapted to allow a user to retrieve user selected portions defined by the associative mapping upon request by the user such that the associative mapping can be randomly accessed. 
     
     
       47. The system according to claim 46 wherein the associative mapping is addressable by content.